Ugandan Army Officer and Two Civilians Charged in $2.5 Million Gold Fraud Scam

A senior Ugandan military officer and two civilian associates appeared before the General Court Martial on Wednesday charged with defrauding a foreign investor of approximately 13 billion Ugandan shillings (about $2.5 million) in a sophisticated gold-export scam.

Maj. Nicholas Ntakirwa, also known as “Gen. James,” a UPDF officer attached to the Directorate of Operations of the Land Forces, was arraigned alongside Mohammed Ali, a director of Duck Hunter Security Company Limited, and businessman Besigye Trevor. The three face charges of obtaining money by false pretences and scandalous conduct under military law.

Prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, working with the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, told the court that in September 2025 the suspects allegedly posed as legitimate gold exporters and extracted large sums from Gafar Ibrahim Mohammed Elsawi, an investor linked to MAPSCO General Trading LLC.

According to the charge sheet, on 22 September 2025 at the offices of Duck Hunter Security Company in Muyenga, Makindye Division, Kampala, the accused obtained $2.4 million (roughly 13 billion shillings) from Elsawi. They allegedly claimed the money was payment for 30 kilograms of gold destined for export to Dubai. No gold was delivered.

A week later, on 29 September, the same group allegedly took a further $120,000 (more than 500 million shillings) from the investor. This time they claimed the funds were required as a payment to the Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority — a claim prosecutors say was entirely false.

Court documents state that Ntakirwa’s conduct violated the Code of Conduct for the Defence Forces. Other individuals believed to have taken part in the scheme remain at large.

The three suspects were remanded in custody until 16 November 2026. No pleas were entered during the brief appearance.

The case is the latest in a series of high-profile fraud prosecutions involving serving security personnel and private-sector intermediaries in Uganda. Authorities have intensified efforts to combat investment-related scams targeting foreign businesspeople, particularly those involving precious minerals.

Neither the UPDF nor lawyers for the accused immediately commented on the charges.